Can feeding machine



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w. A. GLENN ET AL CAN FEEDING MACHINE 5 Shets-$heet 3 Filed July 27, 1946 1& 3

VIII/llfllffflllfflll/ INVENTORS w. H, Glenn I C. M..Buck Jr.

ATTORNEYS w. GLENN ET AL I CAN FEEDING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 27, 1946 Ill Illllllllllllll I I INVENTORS LU. H. Glen :2 CMBLLCR: Jr:

ATTORNEYS April 5, 1949. w. A. GLENN ET AL 2 ,466,228

CAN FEEDING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July I 2'7, 1946 /ll/ll/A Ill!! Vlllllfil/lrI/llllll/lllll/ll/Illl/Ill/III!!!III!lrlrlllllrlllllflllll INVENTORS 5043.618)? C/WLBZLCJE Jr.

ATTORNEYS Patente cl Apr. 5, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Modesto, Calif,

assignors to Pacific Grape Products Company, Modesto, Calif.

Application July 27, 1946, Serial No. 686,682

Claims. 1

This invention relates in general to improvements in cannery machinery.

In particular the invention is directed to, and it is an object to provide, a novel can feeding machine arranged to feed cans to a processing chamber, through the latter in a circuitous path, and to then withdraw the cans from said chamber, all as a continuous operation and with the cans in spaced relation in the chamber, as is desirable for certain processing operations such as freezing of the contents of the cans. While the present invention is especially designed for quick freezing of canned food in a brine solution or the like, the machine obviously may be used for other types of canned food processing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a can feeding machine which comprises, in combination with a processing tank having a can conveyor drum assembly therein, a rotary, can feeding carrier at one end of the tank and a rotary, can withdrawing carrier at the other end of the tank; said carriers being of novel construction and operation,

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved can conveyor drum assembly in the tank arranged to assure of maximum exposure of the cans in the tank to the processing liquid, such as brine, so as to effect rapid heat exchange between the can contents and such liquid.

An additional object of the invention is to pro vide a unique drive arrangement between the can conveyor drum assembly, and the aforesaid rotary carriers, whereby to maintain proper timed relation for transfer of cans therebetween.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a can feeding machine particularly designed for use with rectangular cans.

A further object of the invention is to provide a practical can feeding device, and one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an and elevation of the feeding machine, taken at the end adjacent the rotary, canfeeding carrier.

Fig, 2 is a longitudinal section elevation, foreshortened, of the can feeding machine.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section on line 44 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section on line 55 of Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the improved can feeding machine comprises a generally cylindrical tank I supported, with its axis horizontal, by means of a frame '2; said tank having a main or center shaft 3 extending axially therethrough, and projecting at one end beyond the tank where it is fixed with an encased gear 4, driven by a pinion 5 on a pinion shaft 6 journaled in connection with the frame 2. The pinion shaft 6 is driven, at reduced speed, from an electric motor and gear box unit I, through the medium of drive connections, indicated generally at 8.

The main shaft 3 is fixed, within the tank I, with an air-tight cylinder or drum 9 of a diameter such that it runs in substantial clearance relation to the sidewall of said tank I, The tank I includes end plates Ill and II; the drum 9 running at one end closely adjacent the end plate IIJ, but terminating and being spaced at the other end a substantial distance from the end plate I I.

The tank I is adapted to be filled with a processing solution, such as low temperature brine, when the apparatus is used for quick freezing of canned products; the piping system to and from the tank being omitted to avoid unnecessary disclosure.

The drum 9 is fitted, at the periphery, with a plurality of longitudinally extending, equally circumferentially spaced rails I2 disposed so as to form longitudinal can receiving guide channels I3 on the drum lengthwise thereof. The rails I2 are T-shaped in cross section, with the cross flanges I4 thereof fixed on pedestal blocks I5, which are in turn secured to the periphery of the drum 9. Adjacent ones of the T-shaped rails I2, including the adjacent portions of the cross flanges I4, thus provide supporting and guide means for cans received in the guide channels I3 in the manner hereinafter described. As the cans are supported in clearance relation to the drum 9, there is a maximum exposure of the cans to the liquid in the tank, and free circulation of such liquid about the cans is assured; both being desirable to effect rapid heat exchange between the can contents and such liquid. By virtue of the fact that the drum 9 is air-tight, the required volume of liquid in the tank I is substantially reduced, while circulation in said tank is enhanced,

A spiral guide rod I6 extends from'end to end of the tank I in surrounding and clearance relation to the rails I2; said spiral guide rod I6 being rigidly supported by radially outwardly projecting Webs I'l affixed to a correspondingly spiral attachment and can retaining band I8 mounted in the tank thereof on suitable footings I9.

When a rectangular can 29 is seated in one of the guide channels I3 on the rails I2 adjacent the plate Ii! of the tank I, subsequent rotation of the drum 9, with the can thereon, causes said can to bear against and ride along the spiral guide rod Hi; the can being held from escape from the channel I3 by engagement with adjacent portions l of the retaining band I8. As the can rotates with the drum, and rides along the spiral guide rod IE, it is advanced, axially of the drum 9, toward the discharge end thereof, i. e. the end of said drum which terminates adjacent but short of the end plate I i of the tank. Each can in the tank is thus moved from end to end thereof through a circuitous path which permits of the accomplishment of the processing operation without the use of a tank of undue axial extent.

As the drum 9 rotates, the square cans 28, previousl filled with produce, are fed successively, and in timed relation, into the forward or lead end of the guide channels I3, by means of a rotary, can-feeding carrier, indicated generally e at 2I, and which comprises the following structure:

The end portion of the tank I adjacent the end plate In is formed with an upstanding, opentopped throat 22, and a cross shaft 23 intersects said throat adjacent the upper end thereof; the cross shaft 23 being parallel to, and substantially vertically alined with, the main shaft 3, A hub 24 is turnably mounted on the cross shaft 23 and carries, in fixed relation thereon, a pair of axially 1,

spaced-apart, relatively large-diameter discs, the outer disc being indicated at 25, while the inner disc is indicated at 2B. The cross shaft 23 is supported from the throat 22 by an upstanding frame structure 2'1.

Rotation of the can feeding carrier 2i is accomplished by forming evenly and circumferentially spaced V-notches 28 in the discs 25 and 26 at the periphery thereof; said notches meshing, in the manner of a gear, with the rails I2, so that said can feeding carrier 2| is always in time with the; drum 9. The notched discs 25 and 23 mesh with the rails I2 at the forward or lead end thereof, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. On their adjacent or inner faces the discs 25 and 26 are provided with concentric, laterally inwardly projecting shoulders 29 disposed a distance radially inwardly of the periphery of the discs substantially the height of a can '20. Radial bars 38 are fixed to the inner faces of the discs 25 and 26 and run from the shoulders 29 to the bottom of corresponding V-notches 28, whereby a circumferential row of can receiving and supporting pockets 3| are formed between the discs 23 and 28 adjacent the periphery thereof.

The rectangular cans 23 are fed, one at a time, into the pockets 3! at the top of the rotary carrier 2I from a chute-type conduit 32 whose lower end is disposed adjacent but in clearance relation to the top of said carrier.

The cans 29 are released, one at a time, from the conduit 32 as follows:

A radial lever 33 is pivoted, as at 34, on one side ofv said conduit 32, and at its outer end includes a presser block 35 which works through a slot in the adjacent side of conduit 32. At its opposite or lower end the lever 33 includes a roller 36 adapted to ride on a concentric row of circumferentially spaced cams 3? on the outside of the disc-25.- The cams 3'! are so disposed that when a can receiving pocket 3! is not in alinement with the adjacent end of the conduit 32, the roller 36 rides one of said cams, whereby the presser block 35 engages the lowermost can 26 in the conduit 32, holding said can against feeding. However, the instant that each pocket 3I comes into register with the conduit 32, the roller 36 rides off of one of the cams 31 and the presser block 35 retracts or moves outwardly, permitting the lowermost can 20 to feed from the conduit 32 into the then registering pocket 3I. The cans, of which there is a supply in conduit 32, are thus automatically fed successively, and in timed relation, into the pockets 3| as the can feeding carrier 2| rotates.

Between the top of the carrier 2|, and a point some distance in advance thereof, the cans are maintained in the pockets 3I by means of a resiliently mounted, arcuate retaining shoe unit 38 on the end of a radial arm 39 which extends from adjacent the cross shaft 23, said arm being held in position by a tension spring 30. The chute-type conduit 32 has a movable wall section 4| at its lower end, which movable wall section is connected by an arm 42 to a mercurytype safety switch "33 on a pivotal mount within the frame 21. If a deformed can, or an otherwise irregular can, passes into the lower end portion of the conduit 32, the movable wall section M is forced outward, tripping and opening the safety switch 43, which switch is interposed in the circuit (not shown) for the motor I. This stops the entire machine until the difficulty is remedied. Also, the resiliently mounted shoe unit 38 is tied by a flexible element 44 to the mount for switch 43, so that if a can does not properly seat in one of the pockets 3I, and engages and binds against the shoe unit 38, the switch 43 is also tripped and opened to permit the difficulty to be corrected.

Below the resiliently mounted shoe unit 38, the cans are held against escape from the pockets 3| until the low point of the carrier 2| is reached, by means of the following cam-actuated presser block arrangement:

Radial levers 45, corresponding to eachpocket 3!, are pivotally mounted, as at &6, on the outside of the inner'disc 26. The outer ends of said levers d5 carry presser blocks H which Work through slots in the disc 26. At their inner ends the levers fifa'carry rollers 38 which run on an arcuate segmental cam 49 fixed on a circular cam plate 58 secured in adjustable connection with an annular flange 5! which radiates from a hub 52 non-turnably carried on shaft 23. The segmental cam 48' is of an arcuate extent, and so positioned that the rollers 48 ride on said cam to urge the presser blocks M inwardly into frictional engagement with the cans 23 from adjacent the lower end of the shoe unit 38 to substantially the bottom point of said can feeding carrier 2!. At the low or bottom point of the can feeding carrier 2| the rollers 68' successively ride off of the cam 49, whereby the corresponding can 20 drops from its pockets 3! into the forward or lead end of the then alined guide channel I3 on drum 9. Immediately upon discharge from the rotary carrier 2 and with continued rotation of the drum 9, the cans engage with the spiral guide rod I6 and begin to rotate with, and traverse along, said drum, as previously described. It is thus evident that the rotary, can feeding carrier provides a novel and effective instrumentality for automatically and successively feeding the rectangular cans 20' therefrom into the lead ends of the guide channels I? of the drum.

After the rectangular cans have traversed the full length of the drum 9, and along the circuitous path thereabove, as defined by the spiral guide rod [6, said cans are withdrawn from the tank by means of a rotary, can-withdrawing carrier, indicated generally at 53. For simplicity of description it may be said that the rotary, can-withdrawing carrier 53 is of generally the same construction, as the rotary, can feeding carrier 2!, except that the cam-actuated presser block arrangements are omitted, as they are here unnecessary, for the reason that the cans elevate, rather than lower, in the carrier 53.

The carrier 53 includes, just as in the carrier 2|, spaced-apart, outer and inner discs 5% and 55 provided, adjacent the periphery and between the same, with can receiving and supporting pockets 55 formed by concentric shoulders 57 and radial bars 58. The rotary, can withdrawing carrier 53 is supported by a cross shaft 59 journaled in an upstanding frame 55 above a throat 6i on the tank I at the end opposite the throat 22. rier 53 runs-at its lower portionin the throat 5| and the disc 55 is V-notched, as at 62, for meshing engagement, in the manner of a gear, with the adjacent end portion of the rails l2, whereby said carrier 53 is driven, in timed relation, by the drum 9 in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 5.

A transfer plate 63 is mounted in the tank beyond the discharge end of the drum and in radial alinement with the carrier 53; the lower portion of said transfer plate extending from substantially a quarter-circle ahead and to the top of the driun in concentric relation to the axis of the latter, and alined with the bottom of guide channels it. As each can reaches the discharge end of its channel [3 on the last upward turn, such can is urged, by the guide rod [6, onto said lower portion of the transfer plate, but said can does not wholly escape said channel l3 until the top of the drum is reached. When this occurs the can has registered with and enters one of the pockets 55, as clearly shown in Fig. 5; such pocket moving in proper timed relation to the can by virtue of the driving connection afforded by the V-notches 62 meshing with the rails l2.

From a point thereon adjacent the top of the drum the transfer plate 63 thence extends upwardly in closely surrounding relation to the carrier 53 to a termination adjacent the top of the latter, whereby cans 2i as fed into the pockets 55 from the drum 55 are carried about in said carrier to the top thereof.

The cans are removed and conveyed away from the carrier 53 by any suitable means (not shown).

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as will substantially fulfill the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. A can feeding machine including a driven rotary carrier disposed with its axis substantially The rotary, can withdrawing carhorizontahthe carrier having a plurality of radially outwardly opening, can receiving pockets formed therein in a circumferential row, a can feeding chute disposed above the carrier, the lower end of the chute registering successively with the pockets of said row, and means to release one can from the chute when the latter registers with a pocket of said row; said can releasing means comprising a presser block mounted in connection with the lower portion of the chute, and cam means on the rotary carrier operative to cause the presser block to engage the lowermost can in the chute and prevent its release when the chute is not in register with a pocket, and to disengage the presser block from said lowermost can and permit its release into a pocket when the latter registers with the chute.

2. A can feeding machine as in claim 1 in which the presser shoe is carried on the upper end of a pivotally mounted, radial lever which extends alongside the peripheral portion of the carrier, and a concentric row of cams on the carrier adapted to cooperatively engage the lever below its pivot.

3. A can feeding machine including a driven rotary carrier disposed with its axis substantially horizontal, the carrier having a plurality of radially outwardly opening, can receiving pockets formed therein in a circumferential row, a can feeding chute disposed above the carrier, the lower end of the chute registering successively with the pockets of said row, and means to release one can from the chute when the latter registers with a pocket of said row; said chute having a movable wall section adjacent its lower end arranged to be engaged and moved upon passage of a mal-formed can, a switch to control the operation of the carrier drive, and means to open the switch upon movement of said wall section.

4. A can feeding machine including a driven rotary carrier disposed with its axis substantially horizontal, the carrier having a plurality of radially outwardly opening, can receiving pockets formed therein in a circumferential row, a can feeding chute disposed above the carrier, the lower end of the chute registering successively with the pockets of said row, and means to release one can from the chute when the latter registers with a pocket of said row; there being other means arranged to prevent release of cans from the pockets of the carrier until said pockets reach a predetermined inverted position adjacent the bottom of said carrier, said other means including an arcuate, resiliently mounted can retaining shoe unit extending about a portion of the carrier beyond the chute, a switch to control the operation of the carrier drive, and means connected between the shoe unit and switch arranged to open the latter upon outward shifting of said shoe unit by a can in one of the pockets.

5. A can feeding machine including a driven rotary carrier disposed with its axis substantially horizontal, the carrier having a plurality of radially outwardly, opening, can receiving pockets formed therein in a circumferential row, a can feeding chute disposed above the carrier, the lower end of the chute registering successively with the pockets of said row, means to release one can from the chute when the latter registers with a pocket of said row, and other means operative to prevent release of cans from the pockets of the carrier until said pockets reach a predetermined inverted position adjacent the bottom of said carrier; said other means include King oamlactuated presser blocks mounted in" con- :nectione'with the carrier and frictionally engagingthe cans in the pockets, said. presser blocks b'eing'released' from the cans at said predeteramined inverted position of the pockets.

VVILBUR ALLEN GLENN. CALVIN -MYRON BUCK, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Black Dec. 25, 1894 :Burr May 11, 1909 Cook Dec. 28, 1915 Thompson Aug; 28, 1917 Thompson July 11, 1922 Johnson Dec. 15, 1931 Meyer Dec. 26, 1933 Thompson Aug. 20, 1940 

